Glossary

Circular Economy. It is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. In brief, it implies reducing waste to a minimum: when a product reaches the end of its life, its materials are kept within the economy wherever possible thanks to recycling. These can be productively used again and again, thereby creating further value^[9].

Food safety. This expression refers to the duty of guaranteeing the sanitary-hygiene requirements for food, when it is cultivated, produced, manipulated, and placed on the market.

Food products shelf-life. Shelf-life is the length of time a food can be kept understated storage conditions while maintaining its optimum safety and quality. Shelf-life of a food begins from the time the food is manufactured and is dependent on many factors such as its manufacturing process, type of packaging, storage conditions and ingredients. Shelf-life is normally indicated by a “best-before date” (reflecting the time a food product maintains its best quality and nutritional aspects) or “use-by-date date” (showing the time until which the product can be consumed safely)^[10].